Ask Nina: From Ukraine Myths to Cyberstalking

Answering reader questions about reaching loved ones lost to propaganda, and what to do when power itself becomes a weapon.

Welcome to the very first edition of “Ask Nina,” where I answer your questions on disinformation and online harms. Thanks to those who wrote to me—I was very happy to see your questions! Do you have a question of your own? Submit it here and it might appear in a future edition of “Ask Nina!”

On a personal note, thanks to everyone who became a paid subscriber or donated to my legal fund last week. Your support is doing more than helping me pay my latest legal bill; it’s motivating me to keep up this work when it’s more dangerous and costly than ever. Thank you.

I would like a reliable source for the war in Ukraine, especially the rumors/disinformation about the why of Russia’s invasion and reports of Zelensky’s “corruption,” etc. I have a brother who is all in with what sounds like Russian propaganda. -Scott

This week marks the four-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainians have been suffering and dying as a result of Russian aggression for much longer. Yet the power of Russian disinformation—particularly when parroted by the commander-in-chief—is too strong for some to resist.

I could give you a list of good sources but I doubt your brother will be persuaded by them. His criticism will probably be something like “they’re all part of the mainstream media/deep state” who, he will argue, are themselves “corrupt” and “on the take” from Zelenskyy or the anti-Trump/anti-Putin West.

Instead of fact-checking him, which in an instance like this might cause him to get defensive and further entrench his strongly-held beliefs, start asking him questions. “Why are you worried about that?” you might ask of his claims regarding Zelenskyy’s alleged corrupt activities. If he mentions he doesn’t want his taxpayer dollars going to fund corruption, you can say something like: “I agree with you—we shouldn’t fund corruption. But our aid to Ukraine mostly funds the U.S. military industry, creating jobs and boosting our local economy. Also, U.S. aid to Ukraine has been the most audited aid package in history and no corruption or fraud has been identified.”

Though your script might vary depending on what your brother is fixated on in the moment, this basic recipe of asking a question and acknowledging his concerns serves two key purposes: it brings the temperature down, signalling to your brother that you’re not there for a fight, and it recognizes that there is an authentic concern (eg, misuse of public funds) at the core of his strongly-held (if misguided) belief.

This might be a multi-part conversation, spanning several weeks or months. Your goal here isn’t to get him to be a flag-waving Ukrainian patriot, but rather to soften his view so that he might start to consume other sources that he may otherwise have discounted. Nobody wants to be proven wrong, and if you show your brother that you understand his point of view (even if you think it’s absurd), you’re more likely to achieve that goal.

Regarding your specific question—I don’t have a hard and fast list of go-to sources on Ukraine. I find coverage from major news outlets (NYT, FT, Guardian, BBC, and the global news wires) useful to keep up with. Early on in my time on Bluesky, I also discovered this “Ukrainian Voices” feed you can add to your home page; it’s mostly people in Ukraine sharing their experiences as Russia continues to attack their cities and homes. Generally, I look to see whether the outlet or individual I’m interacting with has a person on-the-ground in Ukraine and whether that person is Ukrainian or has deep experience in Ukraine. When news is breaking, I err toward “mainstream” outlets as their sourcing and attribution will usually be more rigorous than individuals’.

What should I do if I believe a local law enforcement officer has shared access to my real-time location with a network of many people in- and outside my area for the purpose of harassment and intimidation? -Nikki

I’m so sorry you’re in a space where you think that may have happened. Your question highlights one of the biggest issues in the online abuse and victim advocacy sphere: the lack of basic trust between police and victims. I’ve felt this when reporting crimes I’ve been targeted with—and I’ve had my private conversations leaked from federal law enforcement to antagonistic bloggers, too. The fact that some law enforcement officers weaponize their access to confidential information to perpetrate or amplify harm makes me nauseous and deeply, deeply sad.

To help answer this question, I turned to my friend Ken Syring. Ken is a former California police officer and former federal law enforcement Deputy Chief of Staff. He recently started volunteering with my non-profit, The American Sunlight Project. Here’s his advice:

That’s a major, serious issue for a cop to engage in and is 100% worthy of filing a report with whatever oversight body exists for that department – it all depends on where you are. For example, in San Francisco, our Department of Police Accountability is extremely aggressive in pursuing complaints, which can be filed anonymously.

Other agencies have similar oversight organizations, but if you feel unsafe (or if the option just doesn’t exist), then the next best direction to go is up the ladder to a state law enforcement agency or accountability mechanism. In any case, I’d recommend getting a lawyer to walk through those things.

Either way, it’s a crime and essentially would count as stalking. Most local agencies I know take those kinds of allegations extremely seriously (because, well, so many cops have done it).

If you or someone you know is experiencing digital violence, whether law enforcement is involved or not, check out the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, which may be able to help you identify pro bono or low bono legal support. I can also recommend Bloom by Chayn, which is an online platform to help survivors of gender-based abuse and trauma, as well as Pirth.org, a dashboard that helps you report online abuse and get the help you need.

Thanks for writing, Scott and Nikki. I know our toxic digital landscape can be confusing—it’s my privilege to help you through it. I’m looking forward to receiving more questions from other Wayfinder readers. Submit yours here.